Local MSP Jackie Baillie has written to the Chief Executive of Transport Scotland to demand immediate action on a collapsed manhole cover in Milton which is causing misery for motorists this week.

Rush-hour drivers have been caught in hour-long tailbacks on the A82 and Glasgow Road in Dumbarton East caused by the closure of one lane in Milton due to a broken manhole cover. This marks the second time in a month that the manhole has forced the closure of one lane on the trunk road.

Local residents who called to complain about the disruption were told by BT, who are apparently responsible for fixing the manhole, that they had no timescale for the repair. Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie branded the lack of timescale ‘unacceptable’ and wrote to Transport Scotland and BT to call for urgent action on fixing the problem.

Jackie said:

“This is the principal route in and out of Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Helensburgh so when a lane is closed it has a huge impact on local residents and businesses.

“This is the second time in a few weeks that hour-long tailbacks have been caused by the same broken manhole cover. Transport Scotland and BT need to get a grip of the problem and act fast to reopen both lanes.

“The construction of the relief road as part of the City Deal project will help avoid this kind of situation in the future but we need action right now to stop these delays having an impact on our daily lives